Author: Amy

This year we will be joining forces with Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust (BHCLT) for our Christmas social.

It will take place on Wednesday 12 December, from 8.00pm after the weekly group skills workshop, at the Lord Nelson pub, 36 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4ED. Come along and celebrate all we have achieved this year!

There’ll be a drink and a bite to eat for everyone, and not a post-it note in sight!

Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust (BHCLT) and Bunker Housing Co-operative are running a free workshop on how to raise money through loanstock on Saturday 10 November at The Bevy pub, Brighton.

Loanstock is a great way for grassroots co-operative projects to raise money, using repayable loans from individuals or other organisations.

Bunker Housing Co-operative has raised over £75,000 through loanstock and are about to start work on their first two houses. Hear from co-founder Martyn Holmes about how they did it and his tips for people wanting to do the same.

The second part of the workshop will involve local housing groups discussing and sharing ideas on raising loanstock, including how to work together.

This free workshop will take place on Saturday 10 November, 1.15-5.00pm in the community room of The Bevy Pub, 50 Hillside, Brighton, BN2 4TF

We are an exciting new housing co-op planning to build 10 small, genuinely affordable, eco-homes in Brighton & Hove.

Now we need 3 households to join existing members in promoting and developing the project. We have a great business plan, a viable financial spreadsheet, a registered co-op, bank account, house design and builder, a small grant and excellent support from other co-ops and the Community Land Trust.

We want to take the project to the next level; to find land and get the homes built. We are looking for people who have organisational skills, can commit significant time and are experienced in co-operative decision-making. We especially need people who have communication, fundraising, business or project management expertise. But most importantly we need your passion, drive and energy.

1 day per week to dedicate to the project (can be shared between members of your own household)

Attendance at fortnightly co-op meetings

Attendance at workshops organised by the Community Land Trust (we encourage you to join the Community Land Trust at a nominal fee of £1 – https://bhclt.org.uk/membership/)

What you will get:

Membership of a thriving, vibrant housing co-op

Future secure, affordable housing in a supportive community

Your own front door

Please fill in this application form (https://goo.gl/forms/Z2O25kEsxLoxPnlT2) by 19 October at 12 midday. If you should progress to the next phase, we will invite you to an informal chat with two of existing members and then to a co-op meeting. Membership will be provisional for 3 months depending on fulfillment of commitments from both existing members and new ones. Then new members will be full co-op members.

If you do not feel you can apply for an active membership, we will be opening up our membership again 6 months before construction. There will be a chance to apply for housing in the remainder of the homes available then.

Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust (BHCLT) is holding its first Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 12 September at 6.00pm at the One Church in Brighton. It will also be a celebration of the first year of the Community-Led Housing Programme. Find out more and book your place here.

Laughton Lodge – a story of building a cohousing community: Free talk from Mel Nock – a founder member of Laughton Lodge, a cohousing community set up nearly 20 years ago. Mel will be talking about the journey they took to set up their community, including the highs and lows. The event will be on Tuesday 18 September 2018, 6.00pm at Friends Centre (Brighton Junction). Find out more and book your place here.

Community engagement and community-led housing: The session will explore how to get the wider community involved in your community-led housing project. Two experienced community organisers will be speaking: Sam Kinch joins us from the Heart of Hastings project that intends to build, purchase or renovate housing across the town that will remain affordable forever. Also, Keith Brown a Community Organiser for Nationwide who is working to build community around Oakfield Campus, a significant new housing development in Swindon. Find out more and book your place here.

We're looking forward to @RUSSLewisham School of #communityledhousing on Saturday, here at the hub. If you're a London-based community group or interested in starting something new, say hello and find out how we can support your project https://t.co/QR2jG3eCqK

Great to meet, share experiences & discuss projects, problems and potential solutions with people working with groups and training as community led housing enablers on CLH enabling course at Trafford Hall - Looking forward to the next one! @BHclt @SurreyCHP @CoopHousingUK